Can-heading machine



[No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. D. BROQKS. CAN HEADING MACHINE.

Patented Apr. 8, 1890.

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UNITED STATES WILLIAM DYER BROOKS, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

CAN-HEADING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 425,295, dated April 8, 1890.

Application filed January 11, 1890. Serial N0.336,691. (No model.)

-Hcading Machines; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention, hereinafter described, relates to the manufacture of cans-for example, such as the ordinary provision-canswhich are formed out of a can-body with heads havin g turned-up flanges placed thereon.

My invention consists of an improved canheadingmachine.

In the embodiment of the invention, as hereinafter explained, the machine is fitted for round cans and the heads are put on with the flanges overlapping the ends of the can-bodies, these being what are technically known as outside heads; but it may be as well fitted for cans of other shapes as for inside heads.

The main feature of my invention consists of a series of dies on a moving carriage adapted to receive the heads and the can-body in its movement in connection with the plungers which operate to place the heads upon the body; but the invention includes many improved details of construction, all as hereinafter explained. I have shown the carriage in which the dies are mounted in the form of a wheel; but it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains that an endless chain may be substituted for a wheel, as has heretofore been done in machines used in the manufacture of cans.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention, Figure 1 shows a side elevation of the machine. Fig. 2 represents central longitudinal section or sections on a line of the axis of the-machine, taken vertically, with some of the parts in side elevation. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the machine. Fig. 4 is a detached part to illustrate more clearly the operation. Fig. 5 is a detail. Fig. 5 is a view of the chute for the can-heads, and Fig. 6 is another detail. of the preferred arrangement of dies plungers. I

In the drawings, A represents the main axis or shaft of the machine, it being mounted in suitable bearings in the frame I Figs. 7 and 8 are views and Power is applied to the shaft A in any suitable way. Upon this shaft is carried a sleeve 1, fitted closely, but adapted to turn freely on the shaft. To this sleeve is fixed a wheel 2, to the periphcry of which are fixed the brackets 3, which support the dies and the operating part-s connected therewith. As shown, the wheels carrv twelve pairs of these brackets and twelve pairs of dies; but the number may be varied. On one end of the sleeve is fixed a ratchet-wheel 4, through which step-by-step movem entis imparted to the wheel 2, and through it to the can-holder dies. This intermitten t movement is transmitted to the wheel 2 by mechanism shown more clearly on the left hand of Fig. 2. Thisl describe as follows: On a stud 5, fixed to the frame of the machine, is pivoted a loop 6-,

the plane of which is at right angles to the shaft A, the loop encircling said shaft. On the shaft adjoining the loop is fixed a disk 7, which carries a pin 8, provided with a friction-roller, the pin projecting into the loop, so that the friction-roller may bear against the inner face of the loop, and the arrangement is such that as the disk revolves with the shaft the pin oscillates the loop in a plane at right angles to the shaft. The motion of the loop is transmitted to the ratchet-wheel at by means of a spring-pawl 9, carried in guides in an upper extension of the loop. The pawl is pivoted to slide backward over the teeth in the backward movement of the loop and to engage with the teeth in the forward movement, so that at each oscillation the throw of the loop in its forward movement is arranged, in the construction shown, to give the wheel 2 at each. movement exactly one-twelfth of an entire revolution.

The arms 3 carry sockets for the dies and plungers. (Shown more clearly in Figs. 2 and 3.) The dies are shown at 10. These are fitted to receive the'cairhead,being adapted to hold it in the position shown in Fig. 4 by frictional contact-that is to say, the interior diameter of the die is about the same as the outside diameter of the can-head. The die has a hollow shank, which extends outwardly part way over a sleeve 12, fixed by a set-screw in the arm 3, and has a lateral arm 1 t, connected to a rod 15,.extending through the arm 3 and carrying a button 16. The plunger 10 has a shank 15 which extends straight through dies.

the sleeve and bearing, and has a button 11, similar to the button 16. The movements of the plunger are regulated by a pin 13,'working in a slot in the sleeve 12. As readily observed in the figures, each arm of the pair carries a die and plunger in the same axial line. The die is moved forward and backward by means of the lever 18, pivoted on the frame, with the bearing-face arranged in the path of the button 16. The plunger is moved by the lever 17, similarly arranged in respect to the button 11. The lower ends of these levers 17 and 18 extend in front of the faces of the cam 19 on the main shaft A. When the high parts of this cam are opposite the lower ends of these levers, they are thrown inward and press the plunger and the die forward; but it will be understood from an inspection of Fig. 2 that the same part of the cam-face does not operate both levers. The particular timing of the mechanism will be explained hereinafter in connection with the operation of the machine, it being here premised only that the dies and plungers are operated at different times in the movement of the machine.

InIespect to the general movement it will be understood that at each step in the revolution of the wheel the dies are brought into line with these levers. The position of the levers 17 18 is shown in Fig. 1. They are pivoted on a supplemental frame 20, supported on the main frame, and extend in a radial direction to bring their inner ends over the faces of the cam-wheel. The plunger within the die is adapted to move the head in one direction only, and that is out of the die. For insertion of the heads into the dies I have provided apair of disks marked 21. (Shown more clearly in Fig. 5.) These disks are mounted on cross-arms 22 and 23, pivoted at 24 on the main frame. WVhen the outer ends are pressed outwardly, the inner ends are also moved out wardly, and the disks 21 attached thereto are pushed into the dies. The disks are held normally retracted by means of a spring 25, and when in this position they occupy a space less than the round distance between the opposing faces of the dies, sothat the dies in their step-by-step movement may move up until the disks are in line between such faces and accurately in front of the apertures of the The disks are pressed into the dies by means of a wedge 26, pivoted upon an arm 27, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the former figure showing the point 28 of the pivot. The boss 29 of the pivoted wedge has a spur 30, which bears against the pin 31, so that as the arm moves inward the wedge passes positively between and quite through the jaws of the levers 22 23, it being held rigidly against outward pivotal movement by the spur and pin 30 31; but when the arm moves outwardlythat is to say, to the left-as shown in Fig. l, the wedge yields and turns upon its pivot '28, so that it does not pass backward between the jaws, but evades them upon one side. A spring 32, fixed to the arm 27 and bearing upon a-spur 33 on the boss of the wedge, serves to restore the wedge to its normal position. v

The arm 27 is bent laterally, as shown in Fig. 1, and inwardly, as shown in Fig. 3, and extends as a sliding bar horizontally on the machine in guides 34. I have marked the horizontal extension 35. The inner end of it is shown in Fig. 2. This engages with an arm 36 on the rock-shaft 37. The rock-shaft 37 has at its inner end another arm 38, which is connected by means of a link 38 with the extension of the loop 6, so that the backward movement of the loop rocks the shaft, pulls down the wedge 26, and presses the disks 21 into the dies. The bar is retracted to restore the wedge to its'normal outer position by means of a spring 40. (Shown in Fig. 1.)

The can-heads are fed to the dies through chutes 41. tion in Fig. 1 and in transverse section in Fig. 5. There are two of these chutes for each pair of dies, and they extend downwardly just within the space between the dies of every pair. Each chute has'a narrow These are shown in side elevapassage in depth and breadth just fitted to i receive and pass freely the can-head, and its lower en d is arranged just at the point where each pair of dies is arrested at the ends of each step by the movement, so that the canthey drop from the chutes into position behind the disks 21 and move into grooves 62 when the disks are in the dies. The position of the parts is shown at Fig. 5, in which the can-heads are represented at 43 resting on the prongs between the disks 21 and the plungers. The plungers are pushed forward to the position shown in this figure by means of the cams 3, which extend out into the path of the button 11, and the shank of the plunger moving with sufficient closeness and friction to hold the part in place in whatever position it may be left by the cam. The heads are received in this position between'the dies, as shown in Fig. 5

and also in Fig. 3, while the disks 21 are held in retracted position, this reception of the heads occurring as soon as any given pair of dies has reached the point .at the lower end of the chute 41. This motion is accomplished by the forward throw of the loop, as heretofore described. The backward throw immediately following the forward and occurring between the step-by-step movements of the carrier operates the bar 35, and thereby the levers 22 23, and pushes the disks 21 into the dies. This forces back the plungers and carries the heads into the dies, where they stick by frictional contact. The levers 23 22 im mediately snap together at the outer ends and retract the disks, leaving the heads in place in the dies. Immediately thereafter the next step is taken in the movement of the machine, and following this is another movement of the disks 21 to place the next pair of heads in position within the next following pair of dies. A third step follows, carries the dies to the third station, at which is the chute 4A, which delivers the can-bodies 4:5. This chute has side walls of sufficient distance apart to allow the can-bodies to lie across the chute and move freely. The bottom 46 extends downwardly and is curved, as shown in Fig. 1, to sustain the can and arrest it in position exactly in line with the cavities of the die when the dies stop at that station. The position of the dies in respect to lateral adjustment remains the same from the first station to this point, and they are sufficiently far apart to pass the bottom 46 without collision. \Vhen at this point, therefore, the dies stand holding the heads exactly in line with the can-bodies. At this point the cams 19 move sufficiently to bring the high part shown in Fig. 3 at 47 against the end of the lever 18 on each side, and this forces forward the dies to clamp the can-body. The next step carries this samedie and plungerforward to the fourth station, where the lever 17 is operated at each end of the high part 19 of the cam -wheel 19 to force the plungers forward a still further distance, in order to force the heads home upon the can-bodies. This completes the can, excepting as to the soldering, and it remains only to be discharged. As the pair of dies move forward step by step, the cans come down to the opening-cams 51 52, which are arranged just above the discharge-chute 50. These cams draw on the buttons and separate the dies and plungers, and drop the can thereby into the chute 50, where it is discharged by gravity.

In order to lock the wheel 2 in position and hold the dies accurately at the stations, I provide a locking-bar 54., which is operated by the high part 55 on the cam-wheel 19. This high part bears on the stud 56 on the bar, and is long enough to hold the said bar in contact with the wheel as long as the pair of dies is permitted to remain at rest by the other movements of the machine. \"Vhen the high part of the cam is past the stud, the bars are drawn back and the wheel unlocked by means of the spring 57.

The disks 21 are provided with flanges 21, Fig. 5, which, when the disks move into the dies to placethe heads, move across the lower ends of the chutes, and thus cut off the feeding of the heads, supporting the heads in the chutes until the disks move back into normal position.

In Figs. 7 and 8 is shown the preferred arrangement of dies and plungers. In this form the die, instead of being carried upon a tubular sleeve, is on a reciprocating bar as, which reciprocates in the sleeve on the end of the arm 3. The plunger-bar at is arranged entirely independent of the bar w, passing through the same sleeve on the arm 3. Each of the supports m and 116' has a pin 3: proj ecting through a slot in the supporting-sleeve, by which the said parts are guided and prevented from turning.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a can-heading machine, and in combination with an intermittingly-movable carrier having a series of reciprocating dies arranged in pairs, chutes to deliver the heads to these dies, and a chute to deliver the canbody to the dies, and mechanisms for moving the heads from the chute into the dies, all substantially as described.

2. In combination with the intermittinglymoving carrier provided with a pair of reciprocating dies, chutes arranged to deliver the heads to the dies, means for moving the heads into the dies, a chute arranged to de liver the can-body to the dies, and plungers operated to place the heads upon the body, all substantially as described.

3. In combination with the carrier, a pair of reciprocating dies, independentlyqnovable plungers in said dies, and chutes for delivering the heads tothe dies, disksfor moving the heads into the dies and a chute for delivering the can'bodies to the dies, all substantially as described.

4. A wheel carrying a series of reciprocating dies arranged in pairs, means for imparting to said wheel step-by-step movement, a pair of chutes arranged to deliver the heads to the dies, and means for moving the heads laterally into the dies, independently-movable plungers and levers for operating the dies, and plungers moved by ca1n-wheel on the main shaft, substantially as described.

5. In combination with the carrier, a pair of dies carried upon shanks movable in supporting-arms on the carrier, means for mov ing said dies to close them upon the canbody, independently-movable plungers in said dies, a pair of disks 21, arranged in front of the openings of the dies, and arms, as 22 and 23, a spring 25, and mechanism for moving the arms to insert the heads into the dies, a chute, as 41, for delivering the heads to the dies, all substantially as and for the purpose described.

6. In combination with the main shaft A, carrying the cam-wheels 19, sleeve 1, wheel 2, fixed on said sleeve, mechanism whereby stepby-step movement is imparted to said wheel by the rotation of the shaft, a series of reciprocating dies arranged in pairs on said wheel, said dies having independently movable plungers and disks, chutes for delivering the heads and bodies, and levers arranged to operate the dies and their plungers, and camwheels 19, for operating the levers, all sub stantially as described.

7. In combination, the dies, the chute for delivering the heads thereto, the levers for moving the heads into the dies, and means for operating said levers, consisting of the wedge 26' and spring 25, substantially as described.

8. In combination with the main shaft and the sleeve, a carrier-wheel, the ratchet-wheel, the loop carrying a pawl, and wheel fixed to the shaft for operating the loop, the arm and bar 27, operated by the loop on its backward movement, and connections operated to move the heads into the dies, substantially as described.

9. In combination with the Wheel having I step-by-step movement, the dies carried thereon, arranged in pairs adapted to reciprocate toward and from each other, a pair of chutes arranged at a point where the dies are arrested in their movement for delivering the heads, mechanism for inserting the heads into the dies, a second chute arranged at another point or station where the dies stop for delivering can-bodies, said chute being provided with an extension to support the can-body, and mechanism for moving the dies toward each other at the point last specified, whereby the cans are picked up, all substantially as and for. the purpose described.

10. In combination with the carrier having a series of diesadapted to hold the heads and arranged at right angles to the axial line of the can-bodies to grasp the ends thereof, means for reciprocating said dies in line with the can-axes, whereby the can-bodies are picked up, means for forcing the heads upon the bodies, and means for releasing the headed cans from the dies, substantially as described.

11. In combination with the wheel-carrier, pairs of reciprocating dies, the plungers in said dies, the buttons, the levers 17 and 18, and a cam-wheel19, the discharging-cams and the opening-cams arranged to operate upon said levers, all substantially as described.

12. In combination, the die, the reciprocating bar as, supporting the same, the plunger 10, and the reciprocating supporting-bar 00', arranged to one side of and independent of the support 02, substantially as described.

13. In combination, the die, the reciprocating support 00, the plunger and reciprocating support :2, the arm 3, and the sleeve on the end of the arm, the said supports wand a." passingindependently through the said sleeve, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

- WILLIAM DYER BROOKS. Witnesses:

C. R. GALLAGHER, RICHARD GORNALL. 

